Can you opt for a C-Section over an Induction?

[sunshinecitrus1]

It is something that is playing on my mind at the moment. I still have a few weeks to go before due date but I really don't want to be induced. (It might not even come to that but you know how your mind likes to run wild!)

Can you opt for a C-Section over an Induction? I am guessing the midwives try and encourage you otherwise (especially if you have had a low risk pregnancy like I have so far) but I just wondered whether anyone else had asked this question to their midwife before.

Thanks!

@sarah13xx I know, right?! I was like a broken record every time they mentioned Induction - ‘well that won’t be happening because I’m having a c section’.

Spinal only, in/out in under 40 minutes. Recovered like a dream despite being overweight, geriatric, and having a clotting disorder. Child 2 (hopefully in the not too distant future!) will be arriving the same way.

@Mlsweetpea Thanks for sharing your experience! That makes me feel a little better that you didn't feel pressured into having a vaginal birth when you had to make that decision. I think it is important to be able to make your own decisions and do what you feel is right for you. It is your body after all

@sunshinecitrus1

yup, all totally makes sense.
thanks for answering me.
I now understand that your point of view is that if it's a risk of medical intervention anyway, then it might as well be a C-section.
in for a penny, in for a pound, eh?😉

I find different motivations very interesting.
I wanted lots of kids so I would've done anything to avoid a C-section with DS1!
in fact when they broke the waters and there was meconium they started whispering about it as a possibility and I got very upset.
I had it in my head that it would prevent me from having a big family. (I didn't realise you could have more than 2 C-sections).
so yeah, different view points.
I really appreciate you sharing.

I wish you and the others here the very best!

@Littlegoth aw brilliant 😊 that’s what’s I’m hoping for! Having mine at the start of next month. Terrified about the spinal and the cannula in my hand weirdly but once they’re over with I’m just going to try and chill til I meet my baby 😂 I’ve decided not to tell anyone else anything about the birth and I’ll just say after he’s arrived that it was a section if anyone asks

@sarah13xx

are you allowed to take your own CD to listen to while in theatre?
lots of hospitals encourage this. it really helped me to focus on something at the beginning.

@sunshinecitrus1

Thank you for all of the advice ladies! I am a FTM and so far, my pregnancy has been a low risk one so the only reasoning behind me wanting a CS over an induction would be because ideally, I would want to go into labour naturally. I don't like the idea of my body being "forced" into it and me ending up needing more intervention because of being induced. I just feel that a CS would be my personal preference over induction (even though I know this is major abdominal surgery). With that said, I know that people do have positive experiences with inductions. I guess it is just a fear of mine. Who knows, I am 35 weeks today and my body may be good to me and go into labour naturally in the coming weeks X

Everything you've said, was me 2 years ago. I was talked out of it by the consultant with the compromise of "try for an induction but you can refuse intervention" (eg forceps). As I was over 40 they would be inducing me on my due date and just knew baby would not be ready. I ended up with an emergency c-section due to induction complications. I wish I'd stuck to my guns as I would have been granted an elective if I hadn't been persuaded otherwise.

@ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba I’ve just asked for the radio to be on, I think you can take a CD if you want. Will see how nervous I get 😂

OP, the recovery from an ELCS is no big deal, honestly! I've done it twice and was off painkillers after a week. I hate that every midwife trots out that it's major abdominal surgery, as if we're all stupid and/or trying to find the easy way out🤦🏼‍♀️ And I say this as someone who very much wanted an intervention free natural birth but had a section before labour twice. Have the lovely calm section if it comes to it

This happened to me, at my 40 week appt my bump was measuring 5mm smaller than it should be and a growth scan estimated the baby was small (still a respectable 7lb 1oz +/- 10%). I got ushered in to a room alone with a doctor and TOLD I would be induced and it was booked for the following day. I also did the hypnobirthing course and wanted an intervention free natural water birth. I went home and weighed up my options and pros/cons, I'm a FTM with a low risk straight forward pregnancy so I cancelled the induction (turns out you can't just cancel it without then having a meltdown!) I ended up being monitored and scanned every 2 days for a week and they tried to force me to accept an induction at every appointment. For the same reasons as you, I didn't want my waters broken and then start the 24 hour time limit, I didn't want the vaginal exams so they could keep adding more drugs. All to probably end in EMCS anyway. I stood my ground and refused it and was offered a c-section instead (I didn't even ask but had decided if it came to it this would be my choice over the induction as I had some control over the outcome and the journey to get there) they wanted to do it the next day but booked it at 42 weeks because I still wanted to be left alone for my natural birth and was willing to go 2 weeks over. Long story short my waters broke and I went in to labour naturally at 41+2, sadly I ended up strapped to a monitor on a bed on my back having every man and his dog examine me (everything I didnt want!) due to meconium and a decelerating heart rate... and then ended up in theatre due to a postpartum haemorrhage anyway I honestly think the stress of having to constantly argue my case stressed my baby but I still feel positively about the birth so stand your ground, do what you feel is right for you and your baby, don't let anyone make decisions for you that you're not happy with and take the time to weigh up your options before being bullied like I was. Do your research and make fully informed decisions that you can look back at and know were right for you. Oh my baby was 7lb 11oz, all this unnecessary because he was supposed to be a tad small

@Devondonkey

If you get to the induction point, ask about your bishop score before you get started.I had a v low bishops score and induction turned into EMCS. I wish I’d known beforehand that a low bishops score means you’re nowhere near spontaneous birth. I wouldn’t have started induction process if I’d known that.

Oh god yeah, same.

@sarah13xx Better to have a downloaded playlist (WiFi signal can be a bit hit or miss) on your phone and a Bluetooth speaker. Sometimes we do have Spotify and a speaker ourselves. We can't play CDs or radio in our theatres atm because all the CD players have disappeared (into the rooms probably). Radio signal is usually shockingly bad.

OP If you're sure you don't want to be induced, you need to talk to your midwife sooner rather than later to get an elective booked in.

A low Bishop score isn't a guarantee an induction won't work btw. Yes, it's more likely to not work, but not a certainty. I myself started with a grand score of 0. I was only 37 weeks, so to be expected. Delivered with no intervention.

Good tip about the downloaded music @Dyra.
I was more worried poor @sarah13xx would be about to have her C-section and some song would come on the radio that she really hates and her baby would be born to that!

@LemonRizzle sorry they were so insistent at every monitoring appointment.

@Dyra

good point about updated technology. mine was 14y ago!

Yes.

@Floofsquidge Thanks for sharing your experience! Sorry that things didn't work out as you wished they had. It's really hard to know for sure what to do for the best sometimes. My next midwife appointment isn't for another couple of weeks so I am going to do as much research as I can on this in the meantime while I wait. X

I really wish I had done this. It would have saved me three nights at hospital as I stupidly went through two rounds of induction- only to end up with an emergency caesarean. I should have brought it up after the first failed round.

I think lots of midwives just assume you want a vaginal delivery. I was always on the fence and not set on one particular one but the default assumption is you want a “natural” birth.

Definitely speak up. I wish I had.

You absolutely can although I have only done it through the consultant. They wanted to induce me with DS2 because he was big at 38 weeks. I said no and that if I went to term without going in to labour I’d prefer a c section over induction. She said that was absolutely fine. In the end he came on his own at 39+4 (and wasn’t that big…but that’s another story).
I think somehow they manage to scare you stiff about c sections and make induction sound like nothing but I was really glad that the consultant I saw felt that it should be a valid alternative, especially in my circumstances which were a big baby that might be a difficult labour.

@MimiDaisy11 Sorry to hear that you were in hospital for three nights, especially when it turned into an emergency c-section after all of that too . Completely agree that midwives do assume that everyone wants the same thing! I do want a natural vaginal birth but if I go past the 40 weeks stage and have to face induction, I am not sure I want that. In all honesty, I know it is our bodies and we can refuse things but I really didn't know you could request a C-Section over an induction as having an induction is just the "normal / standard" thing that happens when you are overdue so it's interesting to read everyone's comments!

@Jchina Did you get referred to a consultant by your midwife to discuss your options or was your pregnancy consultant led?

I said exactly the same throughout my first pregnancy but equally wasn’t going to argue the point with HCPs at, say, 30 weeks. Just if it was mentioned at all said I would prefer CS over induction but would discuss it later. As it was I went into labour at 41 weeks.
There has been talk of induction at 40 weeks this time. Same stance, in fact this time it’s home birth or CS for me!
If I don’t go into labour naturally before they want to induce me, or they don’t support a HB, then I’ll gladly have a CS. I’m happy with either choice and they can support me in either. No one can take me into hospital and start the induction process so if they feel letting me (or you) go over due is a ‘risk’ then I have provided them with another option.
I feel calm about it, but firm with where my boundaries lie.

@ForkedIt I really like your attitude, you know exactly what you want and you know that they cannot force you into anything you don't want which is great! Definitely going to take a leaf out of your book thanks!

Following with interest as I feel exactly same as you @sunshinecitrus1. Happy (and hoping!) to have natural vaginal birth if baby comes on their own accord but have an immense fear of induction due to family traumas with this so will be asking for a CS over being induced if it comes to it. Will discuss with MW sooner rather than later though to get that in their minds and hopefully talk to a consultant about it.

Hope all goes well and keep us posted x

@sunshinecitrus1 I think it’s easier to have confidence the second time around and we’ll see how things go towards the end - I definitely cried when they started mentioning induction at around 40.5 weeks last time!
Just try not to let it stress you out too much until it needs to … if that makes sense.

@LunaDreams Glad I am not the only one feeling like this How far are you into your pregnancy? I am a little bit annoyed with myself that I didn't speak to my MW about this earlier this week but I was worrying about other things then like baby's position / measurements etc. It was only after I come out of the appointment that I thought ah, I should have mentioned something when I was discussing my birth plan with her but it went completely out the window!

@ForkedIt Yeah I guess the second time around you have already been there. Definitely won't let it stress me out too much until necessary but I do need to discuss it with my MW so they are aware of my thoughts in case it does comes to it!

@sunshinecitrus1 I've not seen anyone mention it yet but most babies tend to come around 41 weeks if they're left to their own devices. If you and the baby are otherwise well there's no reason to have any interventions or feel you must book either induction or C-section for a particular date.

Personally if thing go well and me and the baby are both healthy I'll be happy to go to 41+6 and will possibly book a section for 42 weeks. A lot of this is down to the fact that I know my due date is only out by 2 days, so when the NHS have me at 42 weeks I'll actually be 41+5. I'm happy that this is 'close enough'.

I'll be declining all interventions in the meantime (including sweeps) with the hopes that if I put my trust in my baby and body then that should give me the best chance of avoiding further interventions (instrumental birth or EMCS).

You can also potentially choose to go over 42 weeks and have expectant management. It's unlikely to be 'advised' but if you and the baby are both well then it's good to know it's an option to consider.

Obviously I'm open to change and anything could happen between now and then, but that's my plan/thinking at the moment.